Improvement in middlings-purifiers



R. L. DUWNTON & W. H. FORMAN.

Middlings-Puriiiers.

``\\0 147.,7491. Patented Feb.24.1874.

'UNITED STATES y PATENT ROBERT L. DOWNTON, or coLLINSvILLE, ILLINOIS, AND WILLIAM II.

FORMAN, OE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. r,

IMPROVEMENT INMIDDLINGIS-lflJ-RIFIERS.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,749, dated lb:ua1y.`4, 1874 application filed December 27, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT L. DowN- TON, of Collinsville, Illinois, and WILLIAM H. FORMAN, of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented an Improved lVIiddlings-Puriiier, of which the following is a specification:

In this invention, one or more separating chambers or boxes can be used, as well as one or more fan attachments. The novelty of separating-chamber consists in its peculiar curve. shaped bottom, and made to narrow as it ap preaches connection with the next chamber below, thus adapting the chamber for the introduction of outside currents of air, as well as a better passage of the heavy particles from one chamber to another. 'Vithin the box or chamber is an incline tapered spreading-board, for the purpose of spreading the middlings in their `passage over Said board, and to better enable the outside currents, as well as suction currents of air, to act upon each particle. Near bottom each box has one or more valve-openings for the admission of outside air, and also each box has a series of small openings along the bottom line of spreading-board for the admission of outside air. The fan attachment, being made to create a suction upward through the box or machine, and the Outside currents of air, combining, and bein g properly regulated, produce the new result of forming an eddy or eddies, which act upon the particles of middlings falling from spreading-board, so that the lighter materials, dust, impurities, and the like, are carried oil' with the suction current, and the purified middlings, by their own gravity, drop or pass from one box to another, where the same process of separation and purification can be repeated. The machine is provided with detail parts, all of which will now more fully appear.

Of the drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation with lower series of boxes broken away. Fig. 2 is atop plan o f machine, with top board removed to show interior view of top separating-chamber.

A is a suitable frame. B represents our separatin g chamber or boxes. One or more of saidboxes can be provided, as desired. At top the box B is closed with a top board` having a feed-hopper opening.

The boxes B we form with metallic bottoms b, made to curve in shape, so 'as to form the narrow bottom passage b1, as indicated in Fig. 1, the object of giving the boxes B the peculiar bottom b being to better facilitate the downward passage of the heavy particles or separated middlin gs, and specially to break the too great force of the outside currents of air introduced near bottom of boxes. C, Figs. 1 and 2, is an incline tapered spreading-board, this is arranged within each box B. .Thepurpose of the tapering board is t0 act as a gradualspreader of the introduced middlings. spreading-board at one side, and so as to slant or `incline from the top downward and :across the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The middlings are so fed that the greatest quantity thereof first drops upon the wideor top end of thespreading-board, and, in theirteudency to reach the narrow or low point of said board, are caused to continually drop off or over the inner edge of spreading board, its spreading shape causing this distinct separation of the particles of middlings to take place. It is our object at this Stage to catch and subject the falling middlings to a purifying action. This we accomplish by the combined action of introduced currents of air and the suction produced by one or more fan attachments, as follows: D is the fan-case, in which asuitable fan is provided, as ordinary,and operated by power, as usual. d, connects to communicate with the interior of the box or boxes B through top thereof, the spout d being shown in `dotted lines in Fig. 1. The suction produced is upward or from the bottom of the box B through its spout d. Our suction is not only to carry ofi' the lighter particles from the separated middlings, but especially to coact with under introduced outside currents of air to produce eddies within the box or separatingchamber, and upon which werely as an improvedmethod of 'purifying middlin gs. To form this eddying action, we therefore introduce outside air, first, through a series of small openings, cZ1. Fig. l.) rEhe openings (Z1 we position 1mmediately under the line, and the whole length of the spreading-board, so that the introduced air-currents, passing horizontally under and EEIoE.

Hence we arrange and secure the Frein the fan-ease a pipe or spout,

(See

jected to and acted upon by the eddies.

eddies partially suspend the particles, which allows and better enables the y lighter stuft',

out from the bottom of said board, come in contact with the suctional force or current produced by the fan attachment. The contact or commingling of the currents of air j ust stated produces eddies, and this eddying action we further augment by the further intro duction of outside air, viz., secondly, through valve-openings near bottom of each box or chamber. Hence d2 represents one or more openings through the passage b1. (Sec Fig. l.) The openings Z2 are controlled by suitable valves, so as to regulate the admission of outside air. Here it will be noticed that the curved shape of the bottom of the boxes, before alluded to, acts also to break the too great force of currents of air passing in the bottom openings cl2. The further essential object of introducing sufficient air-currents through the openings d2 is to prevent the suction from the lower box or separating-chamber from passing up into the upper box or chamber, or to pre vent the suction from being so great as to prevent the purified middlings in the upper boxes from freely being passed from the upper into the lower.

The operation of the parts thus described is, therefore, as follows: The middlings are fed through the hopper at top, so as to fall upon the top of spreading-board. The spreadingboard spreads the middlings, separates its particles, and in doing so the same are sub- The dirt, dust, and impurities to float off with the suctional force. The foreign matter' of the middlin gs is, therefore, drawn out through the pipe or spout (l in the fan or fans, and deposited in a settling chamber or cham- The heavy particles or purified midbers.

necting near top of each box, can be provided A with slide-valves or cut-of's, so as to regulate the suctional force. cl3 are glasses to enable the operator to see the interior of the boxes. To cause the middlings passing from one box to another to drop upon the spreading-board,

we provide the opening or passage b1 with a beveled block. (See Fig. 2.) The middlings then slant off and drop upon the spreadingboard, which is positioned opposite thereto.

l. The incline tapered spreading-board G, in combination with the box B, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The box B, having bottom b, passage b1, conducting-block b2, valve-openings d2, series of openings all, incline tapered spreading-board G, all arranged as herein shown, to operate as and vfor the purpose set forth.

3. A box or boxes, B, having bottom b, passage b, conducting-block b2, spreading-board C, openings d1 d2, and one or more fan attach ments, ali combined to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of said invention we have hereunto set our hands.

'ROBERT L. DoWNToN. wILLiAM H. FORMAN.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, TOM MILLER, Jr. 

